


had me feeling like a ghost

by merthurlin



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Social Media, buzzfeed unsolved au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-06 02:13:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19053175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merthurlin/pseuds/merthurlin
Summary: Sora King @kingdomkeyI'm soooo excited to start filming the new season of #RadgardenUnsolved! Maybe I'll finally get to go on a date with a demon @waytodawnRiku King @waytodawn@kingdomkey one day a demon WILL get you and I'll laugh about it---(or: in which Riku believes in ghosts and Sora doesn't, and they make a youtube show out of it.)





	had me feeling like a ghost

“Hi everyone!” Sora grinned at the camera. “Welcome to our next episode of Radgarden Unsolved. Today we will investigate the Haunted Mansion in Twilight Town, as part of our ongoing investigation to answer the question: are ghosts real. Spoiler: they totally aren’t.”

Next to him, Riku straightened from his slouch, turning to glare at his friend. “I let you do the intro _one_ time and this is how you betray my trust?”

Sora turned his grin at him. “Aw, c’mon, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass!”

Riku made a face at the camera. “Reminder: if you give Sora one inch he _will_ take a mile.”

Sora just slouched back, satisfied. The two were sitting on the steps leading to an imposing mansion standing behind them, which while still impressive, has obviously seen better days. Its dilapidated state, coupled with the lighting coming from the setting sun, painted the scenes with grim colors.

“So what’s so spooky about this place anyway?”

“You mean, besides how it _looks_?”

Sora rolled his eyes. “Pretty much every place we go to looks like this! You _never_ take me any nice places.”

Eagle-eyed viewers might be able to catch the slight blush that dusted Riku’s cheeks. “Anyway- besides that - the Twilight Town Haunted Mansion has troubled history. It was built in…”

\---

Sora King @kingdomkey  
In this week’s episode of Radgarden Unsolved we discuss Twilight’s Town HAUNTED MANSION, which is not haunted at all but definitely very dirty. Also, Riku lost his mind and started cursing a demon, so it’s not very sfw!  
youtube.com/watch?v=b987...

hey there demons @shawnspenc  
someone else think riku has been getting ESPECIALLY mouthy with the ghouls this season? me thinks he’s jumping sides…

Laura @laura66666  
I think I see two red eyes in the top left corner at 2:47??? Am I losing my mind… #ImASoraInMyBrain #ButARikuInMyHeart

Sonic’s Teeth @darkestlullaby  
you guys starting to fake evidence now?? #radgardenunsolved

\---

“I’m soooooo tired,” Sora whined, collapsing on his bed at the hotel.

“ _I_ was the one who hadn’t slept all night, while you apparently had a slumber party with the ghosts,” Riku grumbled, setting down his bag. It was only the two of them in the room, the rest of the crew heading to their own rooms to get some sleep, and Riku couldn’t help but unclench his shoulders. It’d been non-stop filming for their season finale, and it felt weird but also relieving to not be under the camera’s gaze. He loved what they did - he really, really did, even when his heart was racing so hard he thought he was finally going to have the heart attack the fans always laughed about - but there was something so unnerving about constantly having to play it up for the cameras.

Sora laughed, sleepy and less boisterous than normal but no less real. He peeked up at Riku from the bed, his head half-smashed into the pillow. “You’re okay, right? You were really rattled tonight.”

Something soft and fond clenched in Riku’s chest, and he did his best to ignore it. “Where was this concern when you were busy laughing at my wide eyes when we got that EVP?”

Alarmed, Sora shot up in the bed, staring at Riku. “But that - that was for the cameras, for the bit, you know that, I -”

“Dork,” Riku cut him off, smiling slightly. “I know. I was just teasing. That place was creepy as hell.”

“Sure,” Sora nodded, and while from anyone else it would seem condescending, Riku knew Sora too well to not read the acceptance in his face. Sora might not believe, might laugh and scoff and yak it up for the fans, but he always believes _Riku_. And despite what Riku says for the cameras, that has always been enough for him.

“Excited to listen to all of the EVPs we got?” Riku smirked at him, trying to get the conversation unto a less dangerous track.

Predictably, Sora groaned, smashing his head back on the pillow. From his grumbling, Riku could make up something about “just OLD HOUSE NOISES” and his smirk transformed into a laugh as he shook his head. “I’m going to take first shower. Also, get off that bed, your clothes must be filthy.”

Sora raised his head just enough to mutter: “You’re not my mom,” before pointedly rubbing all of his body over the clean sheets.

Riku snorted. “Whatever, you can sleep under gross bedding if you want.”

“I bet that’s why the ghosts like me better, I don’t nanny at them.”

“Shut up.”

\---

theghoulboys reblogged slumberingstorm

slumberingstorm:

is it just me or do the boys seem to like each other less and less each episode? I swear riku almost punched sora in the recent ep, and sora seemed sooooooo mean to riku… i really can’t see how they’re friends

.

rikustan:

i know right??? riku is so clearly fed up with how condescending sora is being, i really hope he punches him at some point. or better yet, a GHOST punches him.

.

ghostroast:

HEY, at least sora isn’t losing his mind over every little sound and whisper. it’s a wonder sora hasn’t punched riku in the face yet!

.

theghoulboys:

This is so incredibly gross. The boys said again and again that they’re best friends, have been best friends since they were kids, and that nothing is ever going to change that. The teasing and arguing is just part of that, amplified for the cameras. It’s just what the show is! They both get so upset whenever anyone brings up suspicions that they might be faking their friendship for rating. How can you call yourself fans and stans?!

Tagged: #radgarden unsolved, #sora king, #riku king, #fandomwank

\---

Riku King @waytodawn  
For the last time, NO, me and Sora aren’t related - this is not a Parent Trap situation. Just a weird coincidence! #KingConspiracy

Sora King @kingdomkey  
We look NOTHING alike! #KingConspiracy

sora is a demon confirmed @delmetraton  
@waytodawn @kingdomkey could it be….. aliens????!!!!?!?!?!?!111

Sora King @kingdomkey  
@delmetraton @waytodawn is this how all of your conspiracies start

\---

[Thumbnail: _Two young men stand in a dark room, illuminated only by flashlights. The silver-haired man has his eyes wide open in fright, looking at the ceiling. Next to him, the other man has a worried grin on his face, and one of his hands is patting the other’s shoulder._ ]

**5 Times Riku King Clearly Almost Pissed Himself**

657,000 views

189 comments

realdemonhunterz - 2 years ago  
those guys clearly have no idea what they’re doing…  
306 likes

hide replies ^

\---

“So,” Lea sat down next to him on the bar stool, and Riku just barely stopped himself from groaning. He liked Lea, he really did - the other man was funny, and his editing skills were top notch - but he also had an uncanny ability to press all of Riku’s buttons like he was a master pianist playing a concert, and Riku was just not in the mood.

“Yeah?”

“Season’s over soon, huh?” Lea signalled to the bartender to fill his empty glass. It was a tradition now, after almost five seasons, to come here at least once a week with the entire crew, to destress and joke around and just generally not be in front of cameras or using social media or anything involving people other than them.

“Yeah,” Riku repeated, hoping Lea would get the hint. Sora was on the other side of the bar, listening to Kairi excitedly explaining the concept of her new show that she was doing with Olette. Riku was happy for her - she has done such amazing job producing Radgarden Unsolved, and deserves to be recognized for it with her own show. He wanted to be over there, listening to her, and not here, waiting for Lea to get to whatever point he thinks he is making.

“Still got that bet memorized?” Lea smirked at him, either not getting Riku’s complete lack of desire to participate in this conversation or not caring. With Lea it was a 50/50 chance.

This time, Riku did groan. “We were _both_ drunk.”

“I wasn’t drunk, maaaaybe a bit tipsy,” Lea protested, smirk still on his face. “Besided, clearly you weren’t drunk enough to forget.”

“What can I say, I have excellent memory,” he grunted out, incredibly done with this conversation before it even really started.

Lea laughed at him. “Oh, c’mon, it’s a good bet!”

“It’s a suckers bet,” Riku retorted snappishly.

“Aw, so unconfident! Given up on trying to catch a ghost?”

“ _No_ ,” Riku snapped back. “It was just a stupid bet.”

Riku was fully aware Lea absolutely didn’t believe in ghosts, and rather delighted in needling Riku about his “superstitions and phobias” (Lea’s words, not his), but he was still pretty crossed that the other man used it to get Riku to bet on something that he has no intention of doing. Confessing to Sora - no. Just - no.

Or - well - maybe not _no_. But not on anyone’s deadline but his own. Nevermind that he doesn’t have any sort of deadline, and if left to his own devices “will take it to his deathbed” as Lea groused at him.

“Just trying to give a friendly nudge! Maybe the ghosts want to help too, and that’s why they haven’t been around this season. Oh, sorry, nevermind - they haven’t been around any season.”

‘If you can’t catch a concrete evidence of a ghost by the end of this season, you finally confess to Sora and save us all from this misery’ was about the exact terms of the bet as Lea said it, back before they started filming this season, and in all of his drunken wisdom Riku agreed, the alcohol serving as a good confidence boost that this would be his season. Now, half a year and 6 out of the 7 episodes shot, there was a lot less confidence involved.

“I’m not doing it,” Riku said, trying to stay level headed. Snapping at Lea only made him more persistent, the bastard. “I was drunk, it was a dumb bet, and I’m not risking twenty years of friendship and the future of this very show on - on some arbitrary rules you made.”

Lea pulled a face. “I swear, you’re absolutely hopeless. As if there’s any risk - but whatever. Roxas told me to stop getting involved anyway.”

“At least there’s one person on this crew you listen to,” Riku grumbled.

Lea just stood up and clapped a hand on Riku’s shoulder, almost pushing him over the stool. “Dude, just go for it. It’s gotta be less scary than that time you tried to summon the Rat King demon or whatever the fuck it was called.”

Riku watched as Lea walked away to join Sora and Kairi. Summoning a demon might have been the stupidest thing he ever did, so. Maybe. Maybe Lea had a point.

Not that he would ever tell that to him.

\---

sonixdog reblogged oldmancena:

[Gif 1: Riku is explaining a theory, his hands gesturing around him as he is clearly getting more and more into it. Besides him Sora is listening to his every word enraptured.]

[Gif 2: The two of them are standing in an overgrown garden. Riku suddenly spooks and jumps on Sora, who catches him, but then stumbles. The two of them fall out of the frame.]

[Gif 3: Sora is standing in the middle of an old room, flirting with ghosts and using bad pick-up lines. Riku is standing with his back to him and his hands on his ears, clearly trying to ignore him.]

[Gif 4: Sora and Riku are grinning at each other. They are clearly not paying any attention to the camera.]

oldmancena:

friendship goals!

.

sonixdog:

the double king friendship really is something else… they are clearly so in sync even when they totally disagree with each other!! and like sora never invalidates riku’s feelings, and riku never gets frustrated with sora… they just GET each other

remember that episode they got that psychic on… i think his name was ienzo or something? and he was obviously very nice but it was so obvious he had no idea how to integrate with those two lmao… like they kept completing each other’s sentences and he was just standing there like ??? should i go???

anyway YES friendship goals

Tagged: #radgarden unsolved, #doubleking, #they make me wish i had kept in touch with any of my childhood friends, #but unfortunately none of them grew up to be as gay as i am so it would have never worked

\---

Riku couldn’t remember a time he wasn’t afraid of ghosts. They were one of his moms’ favorite ways to scare him into eating his vegetables or cleaning his room, and they always made sure it would stick. When he and Sora were kids on the islands, Sora had had to drag him to explore the cave system on their play island, because Riku was convinced the place was haunted (stupid Tidus and his stupid stories.) Even later, when they found out the cave was completely empty and set up cap in it, Riku has been jumpy for weeks, convinced something was watching them.

Riku also couldn’t remember a time he wasn’t in love with Sora, a concept that was also scary but in a completely different way. The whole “falling in love with your best friend” thing was clearly better advertised than it actually was. Riku could really do without the crippling anxiety and insecurities, staying up at night during pajama parties too scared that he would blurt it out if they woke up together, giving relationship advice while wanting to bury himself in the sand.

There was a brief moment in time, just before they started college, that Riku honestly thought that that was it, they were going to drift apart. They were going to different colleges, doing different majors… it seemed inevitable. The thought was devastating, hurt and fear and loneliness all mixed together, but there was a part of him that felt a little relieved. It was a part of him he hated, but it still existed. There would have been something simpler about life without Sora, as much as it would have also been incredibly difficult.

It didn’t happen, anyway - Riku should have known Sora wouldn’t let them drift apart. There were daily group chats with Kairi, and weekly skype calls. They would meet up during holidays, exchange gifts and photos and stories, still have the same inside-jokes and making new ones every time.

Kairi was the one who jokingly suggested to make “the Sora and Riku ghost hour” a regular show. It was a running joke for years, by then - the two of them would get into awful arguments about ghosts and demons and cryptids and everything in-between, while she would sit there and laugh at both of them.

She has been working for Radgarden for a few months, and was looking for a show to pitch - and, well. There was not a lot Riku wouldn’t be willing to do for Kairi. Besides, getting paid for trying to convince Sora ghosts are real? Pretty much dream job.

If that meant that he was pretty much stuck with Sora until Radgarden decided to pull the plug, well - there were worse fates out there.

\---

[image: _Riku and Sora are standing together, grinning. They look to be about five. There is an entrance to a cave behind them. The two of them are absolutely covered in sand and twigs, their clothes are ripped and their hair is messy. One of Riku’s arms is thrown over Sora’s shoulders._ ]

soraking  
130,547 likes  
my mom just sent me this photo from our first ghost hunting adventure! the cave you see in the background was supposed to be ~haunted~ and it took me two hours to convince riku to come check it out with me. no ghosts found, but we did turn it into our secret hideout! #radgardenunsolved  


view 347 comments

kairidestiny: omg so that’s why riku looked so freaked out when you showed it to me! NOW it makes sense

nordreys: baby’s first ghost!

pinkcellophane: ahhhhhhhh so cute!!!!!

\---

“Hey, can we - stop for a second?” Riku heard Sora say behind him while he was setting up their recording equipment in the city’s centre plaza, next to the still fountain. When he turned around and looked at him, he could see that Sora looked a touch pale, and his eyes seemed out of focus.

Riku abandoned the microphone he was holding and took the two steps towards him. “Are you alright? I told you not to eat that second sausage-”

Sora let out a strangled laugh, a sound that seemed completely out of place for him. “No, it’s not that, just - Roxas, can we stop recording for a minute? I just need to… I need a break.”

Roxas slowly lowered his camera, giving his cousin a concerned look. “Do you need to sit down or something?”

“Um. Maybe?” Sora looked just as uncertain as Riku felt, but he obediently sat down on a nearby stone fence when Riku pushed him there.

Roxas shot a glance at Riku, before looking at Sora again. “I’m gonna go grab some water from the car, okay? I’ll be back in…. augh, like ten minutes. This place is way too big.”

“Don’t get eaten by a demon,” Sora offered, but it was weak, and lacked any of his natural good humor. Riku could feel the terror that this place inspired in him fade away a little, which was instead replaced by worry for Sora. It was weird to see Sora so rattled - sure, he got sick, and was usually a whiny brat when he was, but even that was usually done with good humor. None of the myriad locations they ever shot at ever gave him as much as goosebumps, and even on the rare occasions he and Riku fought he was usually still bright and passionate, and didn’t sound as… downtrodden as he seemed right there.

“Right,” Roxas replied slowly, sending another glance at Riku. “Stay with him, yeah?”

Riku almost rolled his eyes, but refrained. “As if I’m going anywhere on my own here.” Roxas smirked, the cameraman never quite stopped gloating about not believing in any of the “demon crap you’re so scared of, Riku,” but he didn’t say anything else, just turned around and headed back towards the car.

It was silent for a few seconds before Sora broke it. “Sorry.”

Of course. Riku sighed. “For what?”

“Pausing the shoot… I know you want to get out of here.”

And _boy_ did Riku want to get out of here. This place was supposedly infested with a demon - Riku has never wanted anything more. But -

“That’s not important. You should have said if you felt sick.” He sat down next to his friend, purposely not looking at him. He knew from past mistakes that Sora could get squirrely if he felt he was being coddled, and he didn’t want to push him.

“I’m not sick,” Sora protested, but his tone was still subdued.

Riku almost felt silly for asking - scratch that, he did feel silly for asking, but just to be on the safe side - “You’re not getting possessed, are you?”

At least that prompted a real, actual laugh from Sora, and Riku felt some of the tension leak from his shoulders. “Would I tell you if I were?” he teased.

Riku grimaced. “Don’t _say_ that.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Sora’s laughter died off, but a small smile still remained. “Nah, I don’t think I’m getting possessed. Demons gonna have to try a lot harder than _that_ .” He waved around them, as if to encapsulate the absolute stillness and the nothingness they got from all their equipment so far during the shoot. Riku couldn’t say he was happy they didn’t get anything - after all, he wanted the proof, and maybe, well, the other thing he promised to do if he got it - but he couldn’t say he wasn’t a bit relieved, either. This place gave him the _creeps_.

They stayed silent for a few more moments. It was a warm night, but still slightly windy, which caused an eerie effect of rustling and faux whispers from the flora covering the abandoned buildings and streets. Riku was _not_ a fan.

“So,” he prompted, when it seemed like Sora wasn’t going to speak up. “What’s going on?”

Sora shrugged, leaning his head back and looking at the starry sky. “It’s kinda…. dumb.”

“No such thing,” Riku answered promptly. He stopped pretending he wasn’t looking at Sora to stare at him intently. “Spill.”

“It’s just…  it’s so sad,” Sora exhaled, still looking upwards.

A huff passed Riku’s lips, and his stare turned fond and just a touch exasperated. “Sad?”

“Well, you know! This whole place,” and Sora waved his hands around again, “The story! So many people must have lived here, and then they were just… gone. Without any explanation, any documents, any ideas where they went. It’s a bit scary to think that someone could disappear so completely.”

“So the alien explanation doesn’t appease you?” Riku teased, and then grunted when Sora elbowed him.

“Riku! I’m serious,” Sora complained, a mullish look on his face.

“I know, sorry,” Riku apologized. Sora got like this, sometimes. People thought there was nothing more to him than his goofy exterior - their fans sometimes exaggerated it to an almost absurd degree, which always made Riku feel a bit cross - but Riku has known him for so long. Their entire lives, almost, and he knew better than anyone how introspective Sora could get. How lost he got in his own thoughts, his own fears.

“I guess it’s good that we’re doing this show,” Sora murmured, settling down.

“To remind people of this place?”

“Hmm, yeah… but also…” Sora shrugged, before smiling at Riku. “So that if an alien ever does abduct us, people will remember _us_!”

Riku groaned. “Now who is not being serious?” Sora laughed, but Riku could tell it was slightly insincere. Riku could always tell.

“Hey,” he nudged him. “You know that that’s not going to happen to you, right?”

“What, that I’ll disappear?” Sora blinked at him. “Not really something you can promise, Riku.”

Riku rolled his eyes at him. “Not _that_. That people will just forget you. That’s not going to happen.”

It was dark, so Riku couldn’t be sure, but he could swear Sora flushed at that. “Wh- I’m not worried about that!” But he was, Riku could see that now. It wasn’t something he ever considered Sora to be afraid of. Honestly, he never really considered Sora to be afraid of anything, but clearly that was a wrong assumption, and something in him rankled at being wrong about something to do with _Sora_. He wasn’t used to that.

And it was almost mind-boggling, the idea that Sora could fear anyone forgetting him. As if people could - as if Riku ever could. Sora was - a magnet, or a sun, or some other body of magnetic forces, drawing people around him. It was a cliche, maybe, and Riku felt almost embarrassed to think that, but Sora was a boy that was made for every single fairytale cliche ever made, so maybe it was inevitable.

“I’ll remember, alright?” he heard himself say, as if from far away. “I won’t ever forget.”

And this place was dark, and abandoned, and creepy, but for a moment, with Sora smiling at him like _that_ , Riku could have fought any demon that showed up just then.

\---

Sora King @kingdomkey  
This week is Radgarden Unsolved season finale, so I figured it would be a great time to thank all the people who work to make this show a reality! Me and Riku could never do it on our own. (1/?)  


Sora King @kingdomkey  
First up, our incredible producer @destinyembrace, who was actually the one who pitched this show! Kai, we couldn’t have done any of this without you. Check out her new show airing this summer on Radgarden! (2/?)  


Sora King @kingdomkey  
Of course, up next is bestest cousin in the whole world @oblivikeeper, who also has the best pokerface ever and never laughs at our stupid jokes, since he is a Professional. If you’ve ever wondered who’s the poor dude who has to come film all of our stupid adventures here he is! (3/?)

  


(10 more replies in this thread)

\---

clerixa (@surrealisttrees)  
a question for the post mortem: how sad are you to be done with this season? @kingdomkey @waytodawn  


Riku King (@waytodawn)  
@surrealisttrees @kingdomkey I don’t have to wait for the post mortem to answer this: I mostly feel relieved.  


Sora King (@kingdomkey)  
@waytodawn @surrealisttrees awww not even a little bit sad??  


Riku King (@waytodawn)  
@kingdomkey @surrealisttrees … okay maybe just a little bit  


\---

doubleking:

after this last ep I’m conviNCED Sora King is a demon. did you see that part in 13:58?? clearly the only reason he isn’t scared of those noises is because he knows he is the scariest person in this house

.

demonking:

[image: _Ariana Grande holding a sign saying ‘we been knew’_ ]

.

stormygays:

plot twist: riku is actually the demon, and he has been trying to slowly drag sora into hell, but he’s just really bad at his job

.

doubleking:

everyone pack your bags, we can all go home, this one wins

Tagged: #radgarden unsolved, #sora king, #riku king, #the REAL conspiracy theory

\---

“Hello, and welcome to another episode of Radgarden Unsolved: Post Mortem, where we answer your most pressing questions about the most recent episode of Radgarden Unsolved, which was Twilight Town’s Haunted Mansion,” Riku recited the usual opening spiel, ignoring Sora pulling faces besides him. “As always, all of your questions came from our Facebook and Instagram pages.”

“I picked them this time!” Sora announced proudly. “‘Cause Riku had to go to the dentist. Gotta maintain those shiny teeth to scare away the ghosts!”

Riku bared his lips in a feral smirk. “My secret weapon.”

“Nah, that’s just your smile.” Sora waved him off. “Anyway, our first question today comes from Facebook! Chris Young asks ‘do you think the little girl people can see in the second floor could be a demon? after all, we all know demons like to manifest themselves as little girls… creepy! hashtag Radgarden Unsolved, hashtag DoubleKing.’ Now first of all,” Sora made a dramatic pause.

Riku jumped in before he could continue. “You can’t be a double King. Line in the sand! Either you’re a believer or a skeptic.”

“Exactly,” Sora nodded. “Can’t be on my side if you say stuff like ‘we all know demons.’”

“Sora has never known a demon in his life.”

“Hmm, I would probably have loved to know a demon though,” Sora pondered, only the tiny hint of a smirk on his face betraying his intention to rile up his friend.

And like always, Riku rose to the bait. “You would _love_ to know a _demon_?”

“Sure! I bet they throw the best parties.”

Beside him, Riku looked like he was constipated. “Yeah, if you can call torture and eternal hell a party.”

“Aw, right, I forgot you’re scared of demons,” Sora nodded his head solemnly. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

Riku huffed. “I’m not scared, I’m cautious, like any sane person should be.”

“Eh,” Sora shrugged. “I think I’ll be okay. Back to the question though! Could the ghost have been a demon?”

Riku thought for a second. “I guess? There was nothing in the Mansion’s history that would suggest that kind of entity took residence there though. And honestly, it just didn’t feel like demon over there.”

Sora mouthed ‘didn’t feel like demon,’ and then laughed when Riku elbowed him. “No demons, got it! Just regular old ghouls.”

“Next question, from Instagram…”

\---

“Phew! I can’t believe we’re done!” Sora announced, walking over to where Riku was half-collapsed on the sofa and sitting next to him. They were at Riku’s place, ???

“This was a really intense season,” Riku agreed, not even protesting when Sora swung up his feet to rest them on his lap. “I can’t believe we got Radgarden to agree to so many location shoots.”

“That’s Kairi for you.” Sora nodded sagely. “People just can’t say no to her.” Riku simply hummed in agreement, and the room descended into comfortable silence for a bit. It felt slightly jarring, to be alone with Sora without any cameras or crews around, allowed to be silent and just be. The last few months really were intense, and Riku could feel himself slowly decompressing, relaxing into the sofa.

“Hey, Riku?”

Riku’s head was resting on the back of the sofa, his eyes closed, but he let out a soft “Mhmm?” to show he was listening.

“No ghosts this season either, huh?” Sora laughed, but something about it sounded awkward, uncertain. That was weird enough to prompt Riku to open his eyes, and he turned around a bit to look at Sora.

“Really?” he groused. “Gonna rub it in?”

Sora laughed again, but still that same uncertain vibe to it. “No, no! I just. I’ve been talking to Lea.”

Riku could swear his entire body electrified at that, and he snapped upright, no sign of his previous lethargy left. “You have? Why? What has he been saying?”

Sora looked a bit startled. “Yes? What do you mean why? He is a friend. And it’s Lea, he says a lot of things.”

Riku fought the urge to grab his friend and shake him. “Why are you bringing him up?” Mentally, he swore. If the redhead said anything about their stupid bet to Sora, he would -

“There was a bet?”

-he would immediately pack his bags and move to the other side of the country. Riku could only stare at Sora in horror. “A bet?” he asked weakly, his heart hammering in his chest. This is it, this is it - the end of twenty years of friendship, because of alcohol and a stupid bet and fucking Lea, Riku was going to throttle him -

“I mean, he and I made a bet? Sorta?” Sora frowned. “Honestly, I was kinda drunk, I don’t really remember much of it.”

Wait. Wait.

“You and Lea.” Riku repeated. “Made a bet.”

Sora pulled a face. “I know, I know, it’s so stupid. It sounded like a good idea at the time! But you know how I get with alcohol.” Riku does know - there has been more than one party he had had to personally chaperone Sora around, who tended to become even more affectionate and social when drunk.

“With _Lea_ ?” Riku asked again. “When were you drunk with _Lea_?”

“Remember that bonfire we had just before shooting started?” and yeah, of course Riku remembered, because _that was when he made a bet with Lea too._

Feeling trepidation yet literally incapable of not asking - “What were the terms?”

And Sora honest to god blushed, the faint red barely appearing on his tan cheeks and yet clearly still there. “It’s so stupid,” he complained again. “I was gonna do it anyway, bet or not.”

“Do _what_?” Sora’s eyes snapped to his at the question, and Riku suddenly realized how close they still were, Sora’s legs stretched over his lap, his face so close to his.

“Ask you out,” said Sora, red still on his cheeks but his eyes weirdly intent. “On a date. That isn’t a ghost adventure! But I guess that could be like, our second date. Might be fun to do it without cameras again.”

For a second, all Riku could hear was static. “What.”

And now Sora started to look as panicked as Riku felt. “Or maybe - not any ghost adventure dates? I guess it might be kind of weird, since it’s also our job. Haha, I guess it would be like if I was taking you the the restaurant I was working at or something! So we should definitely not do that.” He paused for a second. “I mean the ghost hunting thing! We should probably go to a restaurant together. That’s what people do on dates, right?”

“You’re asking me _out_ ?” Riku could hardly comprehend what was going on. “On a _dare_?”

“A bet!” Sora corrected harridly. “With Lea! We bet that if I manage to disprove all ghosts this season I have to finally ask you out. I was kinda planning to do it already though! I sorta figured that was where we were heading towards anyway… right?”

“You - you did?” Riku stared at him. All this time -

“Well, yeah,” Sora shrugged, looking away from his face and scratching at his cheek. “We’ve been practically dating since middle school, really. But it never seemed like the right time to bring it up, y’know? Maybe that’s why I took Lea up on this bet…” His gaze found Riku again. “I… I haven’t been reading this totally wrong, right? That would be pretty embarrassing.”

And Riku would have loved to take a few more minutes to recuperate from this whirlwind, hell, a few more hours, but Sora’s voice started to take on a dejected quality that it should never, ever, have, so. Fuck that.

“Sora, I had a bet with Lea that if I failed to produce any paranormal evidence by the end of this season, I would have to ask you out.” It was pretty freeing to let it all out. More so now, when he was fairly certain Sora wasn’t going to laugh at him. It would be pretty hypocritical of him, considering what he just confessed.

Now it was Sora’s turn to stare at him. “You did?”

Riku couldn’t help it and started to laugh, Sora joining him after a short moment. There was so much relief, now - almost ten years worth of it, and Riku almost felt high, or drunk. He leaned his head against Sora’s, the two of them still laughing, and he took a moment to just _look_ , just take it all in.

“We’re both so stupid,” Sora giggled, wiping a few stray tears from his eyes. He was so beautiful, always has been, at age five or fifteen or now. Their fans were always quick to talk about Riku, his eyes or his hair or his clothes (apparently he was fashionable? He mostly just took fashion cues from his moms) but they would just as often comment on Sora’s smile, and Riku always wished he had an anonymous account so that he could agree. There really was nothing quite like Sora’s smile.

“I can’t believe _Lea_ set us up,” Riku groaned. “We’re never gonna live this down.”

Sora hummed in consideration. “If we die of embarrassment and became ghosts, I promise to try and leave behind an actual evidence so that all of the skeptic kings would know.”

Riku snorted and elbowed him. “Dork, if we become ghosts we’re gonna have to haunt Lea _forever_.”

Their giggles slowly died down, and silence descended back on the room, once again comfortable and simple and theirs. This changed things, Riku knew that, but also it really didn’t. Sora wasn’t entirely wrong - it had felt like they’ve been dating for years, and while in the past it always hurt, it didn’t have to from now on. It shouldn’t, from now on.

“Oh man!” Sora suddenly exclaimed. “I guess I can’t flirt with ghosts anymore!”

And really, how could Riku do anything else but kiss him?

\---

[Thumbnail: _Sora and Riku stand in the middle of a beautiful plaza. The buildings are all made of white marble, and the two men are almost shining from the reflection of the light._ ]

**Radgarden Unsolved season 5 episode 7**

The Mysteries of Scala Ad Caelum

16,067,098 views

What happened to the population of this once vibrant city? And what secrets does its towers hold…

46,422 comments

xxxHeartlessxxx420 - 1 hour ago  
OH MY GOD?? I JUST SAW THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON TWITTER??? I CANT BELIEVE THEY STARTED DATING RIGHT AFTER THIS EP  
104 likes  


drillbotmight - 1 hour again  
wait WHAT??  


xxxHeartlessxxx420 - 1 hour ago  
CHECK TWITTER  


\---

Sora King @kingdomkey  
So I guess we are all now… Double Kings. #doublekings #LeaDontYouDareSayAnything #GhostAdventureIsAGreatSecondDate  
[Image: _A selfie of Sora and Riku standing together. The cave can be seen in the background. The two of them are covered in sand and twigs, their hair messy. Sora is pressing a kiss to Riku’s cheek._ ]  


  


**Author's Note:**

> once again, thanks to claire (@sorikuvalid) for editing! you can find me on twitter @gay_to_dawn


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